Ignition device.



A. DICKERSON.

IGNITION DEVICE.

APPUCATHN mm was 23, ms.

Patented May 28,1918.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2- .in place thereon. Fi

ARTHUR DICKEBSOH, OI SALT 1am CITY, UTAH.

IGNITION DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2a, 1918.

Application filed June 28, 1816. Serial K0. 106,535.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Dromson, a citizen of the United States, residin at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt ake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Imlprovements in Ignition Devices, of which t e following is a specification.

My invention relates to ignition devices for internal combustion en es and has for its objects to provide an ignition device whereby a low tension electric circuit may ,be changed and the voltage increased and aaitomatlcally distributed and timed to cause the ignition of the compressed gases in the respective cylinders'wit less wiring fewer parts and economy of sgiace, cost of construction and intricacy o ad ustment now in use, and articularly to rovide a com act device w ereby one coi may be u with a source of current and the increased voltage distributed and timed to cause the i ition of the compressed in any num er of the co-acting cylinders.

These objects I accomplish with the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar letters and numerals of reference indicate like arts throughout the several fi res as descri ed in the specification forming a part of this application and pointed out in the appe ded claims.

In drawings in which I have shown .a substantial embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a four cylinder internal combustion engine with my device 2 is an end elevation of the device 100 g toward the ene, parts shown in dotted lines. Fig. is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the rotating member. 5 is a side elevation of the same.

6 1s a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 7 is a section Fig. 8 is a section Fig. 9 isa detail of covering therefor.

In ignition systems heretofore used" on a great many of the co-acting internal combastion. engines where high tension mag; netos are not used and the space in whic the ignition device can be laced is limited, the sparking device of t e cylinder has been an individual high tension electric circuit, the current of which ma have been automaticall distributed and timed, butbtg on line 7 7 of Fig. 2. on line 8. 8 of Fig. 6. the contact spring and devices unl' e that shown and descri herein. In the 5, which is made of tom of said casi present invention the spark plug of each of the cylinders is in turn brought into one hi h tension electric circuit, the current of 17%1l0h is distributed and timed by a novel device economical in construction, compact in form, needing no adjustment and the s ark of which isintensified and rolongeii.

In the awings illustrating my device a diagrammatic engine having our cylinders is shown as A. The source of electric energy shown is battery B. The coil C. The individual spark p ugs 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. The timing shaft is shown at The gear case for the gear wheels. that connects the timing shaft with the engine shaft as E and my timing and distributing device as a whole as F. The device consists of a cup shaped cylindrical casing insulating material, an is operatively held on the end of said gear case with its axis in alinement with the timing shaft of said engine. The fastening means shown consists of an outwardly extended integral flange 6, which is closel fitted within an annular recess cut on t e end of the gear case E, and which retains the said casing 5- from lateral displacement but allows sllght rotation of said casing on its axis. A brace arm 9 is secured on the breather pi e G of the engine with its end portion caring against the outer end of said casin 5 to retain it in longitudinal position. contact post 8 is screwed axially into the botg 5 and an insulated wire c is connected therewith which leads to the -h1gh final terminal of the coil 0. Meta.

contact? ews 10 are radially screwed in the we of said casing and spaced apart and electrically insulated from each other by the material in the wall of said casing 5,. There is one provided for each c linder of the machine, t ose shown being our in number. Contact posts 11 are screwed through the bottom wall of said casin 6 and into the said contact screws 10, an on each of which is secured a jam nut 12. A radial] dis osed lever st 13 is also screw in t e wall of sai casing to which the rod for advancing or retar the spark is pivoted. A recess 14 is out in the wall of said casing 5, and a curved contact spring I5 is secured on the periphery of said casin and the curved portion thereof extended into the interior of said casing.

A contact screw 16 is used to fasten said spring in place, and a jam nut 17 1 S carried thereon. A curved cover for the inwardly curved portion of said spring 15 is shown at 30. On the end portion of the timing shaft D of the engine is secured a rotating member 18 made of insulating material and somewhat similar in form to said casing 5, but smaller in diameter and operate v in said casing. Radially disposed contact screws 19 are inserted throu h the wall of said rotatin member 18 an bear against said shaft at the inner ends and with their outer ends rounded and protrudin slightly beyond the periphery of em rotating member and rounded to give a slight s herical form to the protruding surface. curved spring 20 is secured in the end of said rotatin member with its outer end slightly roun ed and protruding beyond the eriphery of said rotating member 18 and the curved portion of the spring is made to extend beyond the end wall of said member. An insulated wire a connects one of said contact posts 11 with the spark plug 1 in one of said cylinders and other wires 1), d and 0 each connect one of said contact posts 11 with another of said spark plugs. A -wire leads from one of the low tension termina s of the coil 0 to the contact post '16. The operation of my device is as follows;

The device is secured on the end of an engine frame and timing shaft as herembei ore explained with the said rotating member 8 and casing 5 cmicentrieally placed one 1 thin the other. it low tension electric villi is nF-tabli l :rmigh the battery B, se primary vi. th induction coil "L A, wire f, curved spring 15, the individual cont ting screw it when touching said l5 and the shaft and frame of the engine as the ground. When the circuit is establihed in the primary as described the secondary of the induction coil is energized with a high tension voltage and this high tension volta e is then distributed to the respective spar plugs as follows: from the coil C through the wire 0 to the contact post 8, curved spring 20 and one of the respective contact screws is rotated and the outer end of the curved spring 20 is brought into contact with the contiguous contact screw, and through its contact posts and the respective wires, a, b, (l, and e, to the said spark plugs. The said contact screws 10 and springs 15 and 20 are so positioned in said casing 5 and rotating member 18 that when the timing shaft B of the engine is operated a high tension circuit will be established through the respective spark lugs and cylinders whenever the outer en 0 the spring 20 is brought in contact with. "the contiguous screw 10 and the inner portion of the curved 10 when the member 18 spring 15 will contact at the same instant! with one of the contact screws 19 in sa1d rotating member 18 and the current will be distributed and timed to fire the compremed gas in the respective cylinders of the en- Should the operator desire to advance on retard the spark, as-for instance to retard it to prevent back firing of the engine, he will move the said casing 5 with its contacting curved spring 15 by means of the lever post 13 and its connectlons, in the direction that the timing shaft D is rotated, in order that the spring may not reach the respective contact members as quickly as when the members are in their normal position relative to said rotating member.

Having thus described my invention I desire to secure by Letters Patent, and claim 1. An ignition device consisting of a cylindrical cu shaped cas' hav' an opening in its we I; an outwar y exten ed flange on the rim thereof; a prima curved contact spring operable through said opening; radially disposed contact screws in the wall of said casing having rounded ends protruding within the interior thereof; contact posts through the end Wall of said casing and connected with said contact screws; a. secondary contact screw axially secured in the bottom wall of said casing; an induction coil electrically connects with said last mentioned screw; a rotatable timin shaft; a source of electric energy ground on said shaft; an insulati rotary member secured on the end of sai shaft and concentrically operable within said casing; contact screws radially disposed in the wall of said rotary member and in electrical connection with said shaft and having rounded ends protruding beyond the pen hery of said rotating member each adapte to contact with said curved spring when said shaft is rotated; and a curved springT radially secured on the end of said rotary memher with one end portion bearing against said secondary contact screw andthe other end protruding beyond the periphe of said rotating member adapted to touc the mner ends of said screws in the wall of said said openi adapted to touch the rotruding ends 0 said contact screws w en said shaft is rotated; contact screws in the wall of said casing having rounded ends entering the interior of sad casing and adapted to touch the end of said curved s ring when said rotating member is opera means to form a low tension electric circuit when either of the said contact screws in said rotating member touches said spring in said casing; and means to form a high tension electric circuit including said low tension circuit when the curved spring on the end of said rotating member touches either of the contact screws in the wall of said casin In testimony whereof I have aflix signature in presence of a witness.

ARTHUR DICKERSON. Witness:

SAM RANEI.

cm at this yetent any-be ebteined for live cents eaeh, by addressing the commissioner of 2mm, WuhlnflemD-W' 

